Rangers U20s 2 Hearts U20s 2 aet (Rangers
win 8-7 on pens)
Scottish Youth Cup
Final, Tuesday 13 May 2014 – New St. Mirren Park
Hearts
season ended in heartbreak as their Under 20 team lost the final of the
Scottish Youth Cup to Rangers at a sun-kissed St. Mirren Park in Paisley on
Tuesday evening.
Coach
Robbie Neilson – who has now been promoted to first team Head Coach by Hearts new
Director of Football Craig Levein – was hoping his youngsters would round off
the season with silverware but a combination of poor defending and missed
chances meant the Youth Cup would not be returning to Gorgie for the first time
in 14 years.
Hearts,
with several players having extensive first team experience, dominated the
first half and deservedly took the lead after half an hour. Great work from
Calum Paterson down the right wing saw the utility man’s deep cross find the
head of Sam Nicholson. The speedy winger’s header was saved by Rangers keeper Kelly
but Nicholson prodded home the rebound and danced away to celebrate, much to
the delight of the large travelling support from Edinburgh. 1-0 to Hearts at
half-time.
Hearts
began the second half in similar fashion to the way they dominated the first
half and spurned a great chance to double their lead moments after the restart.
Gary Oliver had an open goal from three yards out but contrived to hit the side
netting. It was a missed opportunity which Hearts came to regret. After 52
minutes Rangers Pascazio’s shot from distance was deflected past Hearts keeper
Jordan Millar for the equaliser and Hearts young heads were momentarily down.
Not for long, though, as Billy King put Hearts ahead again just after the hour
mark after a goalmouth scramble.
Despite
Rangers pressure Hearts looked like holding on for a famous win. However, with
just a couple of minutes left the wee Gers launched another long ball forward. It
should have been dealt with by Jordan Millar but the Hearts keeper needlessly
came out his goal which enabled Halkett to nod the ball home for the equaliser.
There was no further scoring in the subsequent 30 minutes of extra-time which
meant the dreaded penalty shoot-out to decide the destination of the trophy.
Both
teams matched each other until the penalty shoot-out score reached 7-7. Then,
the unfortunate Jordan Millar saw his effort saved by his Rangers counterpart
and the trophy was on its short journey to Ibrox.
Rangers:
Kelly, Pascazio, Sinnamon, Halkett, Gasparotto, Telfer,
Stoney, Murdoch, Gallagher, Dykes, Ramsay.
Hearts:
Millar, Smith, Paterson, Gordon, McGhee, Beith, King,
Scott, Carrick, Oliver, Nicholson.
Referee: William Wilson
Top man: Sam Nicholson
No comments:
Post a Comment